Airplane



Dec.z6, 1933.` f HMASCQW v1,940,961

AIRPLANE Patented Dec; 26, 1933 UNITEDSTATESPATENT OFFICE.

Appiieatibn January 15, y1932, serial No, 587,035, r and-in Germany. June29, 1931 3v Claims. y(Cl. 2444-17) abling,.withouti great expenditure of force, re-V marlzably` longer aviating than done by conventional airplanes in use hitherto, and, in case of not too adverse atmospheric conditions in fact continuous aviating even without any vupcurrents, above all things taking advantage only of the forces of gravity and of the currents of air produced by any relative forward motion, whether gliding or soaring or only currents of air, and operating on the aerofoils. v

The construction of ornithopters or airplanes with flapping aerofoils has been done hitherto on the supposition that the greatestlifting effect possible and also a greater propelling power had to be produced by means of the wings', the result of which were apparatus where, a large amount of the effect produced wasV lost by friction in the mechanism and as internal stress in the rods, a direct lifting effect being impossible.

`In contrast to the conventional method the oscillating wings of my novel ornithopter are arranged and actuated in such a way that by each downward oscillation a direct lifting eect is effectuated on the joint and 'consequentlyy on the apparatus, after the manner of a see-saw, one end of which, when discharged, moves upv ward,'the other end being put under accordingly greater weight,

in the manner of aY doubledarmed lever. The result is that 100 per cent of the exertion made is utilized and that only the downward oscillation is effectuated by pedal force whereas the raising is done automatically by the-pressure of the air-from below. During the oscillation and after all during Ythe whole flight, just as in the case of any glider or airplane it is the force of gravity which chiefly effectuates the forward motion. This propulsion can be augmented by a suitable elastic or different construction of the planes. Asa matter of course additional planes rigidly or elastically mounted and suitably arranged will prevent the immediate recoiling downof the airplane owing to the downward motion ofthe oscillating wings after each lift. In my invention the vertical movement of the aerofoils is effectuated auto-y f matically by the surplus of thel bottom pressure an oblique bottom` plan view of an airplane of the socalled duck-Y type Iwith front control provided with an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a summary transverse sectional view of the same type showing the novel arrangement of power means.

Figure 3 illustrates the application of my invention to a downright parasol type.

Figure 4 designates a top plan view of the type above illustrated. Y

In all of the views, like parts are designated by the same reference characters.

The body 2 with the struts 1 and the joint of struts 3 form the rigid frame of the airplane.

To the outer sides of the frame are secured the rigid planes 4, which is novel too, either totally immovable to the struts 1 and the joint of struts 3 or'in a better way, according to my invention, by inserting the extensionpieces 13 of their strutsv through the joints of the struts 3 and by elastically mountingthem therein, thus 75 resting them in the pivot and between rubber buffers 11 or equivalent elastic matter. The result of mounting the trailing end ofthe `strut more elastically than the front end of the strut is a greater oscillation and an augmented aerodynamic effect. YIt is to these inserted struts or in simple apparatus'immediately to the jointV of the struts that the innervparts of the planes, theV socalled wings 5, are flexibly secured by means of the joints 6. To these wings are secured treadles 7 extending inwardly into the interior of the body through lateral slits in the body 15 (in Figure 1) where they can be moved downwardly by the feet.

The wings are constructed in such a way that especially in the Zone of greatest amplitude of oscillation close to the treadles they are in their rear part elastically lexble upwards, a device from which additional propelling power results.

t will be even more vsuitable to make them pass into the shape of slotted wings or into two or several planes of the shape of a sun-blind elastically opening upward inconsequence of the downward stroke of the wing. If the wings 5, as is supposed in my illustration, are not coupled to'- 100 getherin the center, but if each of them will be separately actuated by one foot, the vertical steering (stabilizing) can be efectuated by them likewise.

By means vof springs 8 the wings are secured to the body in such a way that during a normal gliding they are in unstable equipoise, supported by a slight pressure of the foot. i

' The'eiect of the forces is as follows: During, the gliding or aviating or with a suitable current 110 the apparatus.

lwings as soon as the pressure of the footis removed. Owing to the elastic mountingv of the outer planes each downward stroke of the wings A causes a slight elastic oscillation of the former.

The general construction of the airplane as well as of the planes particularly can be carried out in Ievery way conventionally in use. Without de- 'tracting anything from the advantages `of the inzvention or of the claims appended hereto it is to Ehe understood that divergencies and diferent` constructions are Apossible as vforinstance in downright parasol planes as illustrated in Figure 3 or in the type of a tailless airplane or in biplanes. Moreover several couples of struts braced together or supported by means of stays tcan be arranged; evensimple types without a body can be constructed with the embodiment 'of my invention.

I claim: Y Y

Il. `An engineless :airplane 'comprising a body .and inner and outer wings,4 means extending from .saidrbody for supporting said outer wings adjacent their inner ends, the outer rends of said inner wingsbeing exibly connected to the inner .ends of 'theouter wings rand-theiiin'er 'ends of the inner 'wings being adapted to belactuated downwardly by the feet of la pilot.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 including springs for connecting the inner 'ends of said inner wings to said body.

3. A device as set forth in Q'Iaim 1 including .lateral slits in said body through which the inner ends ofsaid inner wings-extend.

HANS MASCOW.

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